Tourists from outside the state will pay a little more beginning Jan. 1 if they’re planning to camp in a recreational vehicle at Oregon’s state parks.
Senate Bill 794, passed last session by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Kate Brown in June, imposes a 25 percent surcharge on non-residents who camp in RV sites at 56 campgrounds from the Oregon coast to the Wallowa mountains.
The fees apply to everything from small pop-up trailers to Airstreams to motorhomes. It does not apply to tent campsites, yurts or cabins.
Roughly 60 percent of state park campsites are designed for RVs, offering some combination of water, power and sewer hookups. They currently cost $24 to $40 per night, but beginning next year, they will cost $30 to $50 for non-residents.
The extra fee will be applied to those who reserve a site online from an out-of-state address. In person, the extra charge will be applied to those with out-of-state plates.
The spike won’t affect campsites on federal lands, such as U.S. Forest Service campgrounds, or private campgrounds.
Competition for RV sites — and campsites overall — has risen dramatically in Oregon over the past decade, particularly at the coast.
Oregon has long toyed with the idea of a so-called “tourist tax” at state parks. Last year, during early stages of the pandemic, Oregon imposed a similar surcharge on out-of-state campers who reserved any type of campsite with the idea of discouraging travel to the state.
— Salem Statesman-Journal
